Nutella

Nutella is the brand name of a hazelnut-based sweet spread registered by the Italian company Ferrero at the end of 1963. The recipe was developed from an earlier Ferrero's spread released in 1949. Nutella is now marketed in over 75 countries across the globe.

Nutella is a modified form of gianduja. The exact recipe is a secret closely guarded by Ferrero. Gianduja is a type of chocolate containing approximately fifty percent almond and hazelnut paste. It was developed in Piedmont, Italy after taxes on cocoa beans hindered the diffusion of conventional chocolate. Pietro Ferrero owned a patisserie in Alba, in the Langhe district of Piedmont, an area known for the production of hazelnuts. In 1949 Pietro developed his first spread, which he started to sell in 1951 as "Supercrema".

In 1963, Pietro's son Michele Ferrero decided to revamp Supercrema, with the intention of marketing it across Europe. Its composition was modified, as well as the label image and brand name: the name "Nutella" (based on the word "nut") and its logo were registered towards the end of the same year and remain unchanged to this day. The first jar of Nutella left the Ferrero factory in Alba on April 20, 1964. The product was an instant success and remains widely popular. The estimated Italian production of Nutella averages 179,000 tons per year.